Living With Metastatic Breast Cancer
- Shannen Doherty is currently living with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, meaning it has spread to other areas of her body. But as she explained in her recent podcast episode, the actress is still able to live her life to the fullest by creating new podcast episodes and spending time with loved ones.
- Doherty, who rose to fame playing Brenda Walsh in the 1990s teen TV hit show “Beverly Hills, 90210,” has been very open throughout her cancer journey, but she hasn’t specifically revealed the new infusion treatment she’s on, something her fans are demanding to know.
- The actress was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. It went into remission in 2017 but returned as stage 4 (or metastatic) in 2019. Metastatic cancer means the disease has spread to distant areas of the body, like the bones, liver, lungs, or brain. Last year, her continued battle with cancer involved surgery and radiation. More recently, she has had multiple “miracle” infusion treatments.
- Metastatic breast cancer also called “stage four” breast cancer means that the cancer has spread, or metastasized, beyond the breasts to other parts of the body. There is technically no cure, but advancements in treatments can dramatically improve outcomes and that is something to be hopeful for.
Doherty, who best known for her roles in “Heathers,” “Charmed” and “Beverly Hills, 90210,” has impressed many with her ability to thrive amid adversity, for example, having the energy to produce new podcasts, spend time with friends, and be an animal activist. It’s truly fascinating to see Doherty’s fan base and community of people battling breast cancer looking to the beloved actress for answers after she recently opened up about her new cancer treatment which is “working for now.”
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“After the sixth or seventh treatment, we really saw it breaking down the blood-brain barrier. Do I call that a miracle? For me, that happens to be a miracle right now, that, like, I sort of rolled the dice and said let’s keep going.”
She described her treatment success as possibly due to “God intervening and being like I’m going to give her a break.”
Doherty later shared a segment of her conversation with Dr. Mirhadi on Instagram, which prompted fans to question what “miracle” drug she’s been taking.
Alongside the podcast videoclip, Doherty wrote, “I’m always proud of the episodes get to do that feature doctors and talk about cancer. Im not a celebrity podcast. Im one that hopes to bring truth and attention to subjects that are important.”
One of Doherty’s fans replied in the comments, “I just read this story in the news where it said it wasn’t revealed in the podcast what your ‘miracle’ treatment is. As someone who was diagnosed with breast cancer 17 years ago and has fought secondaries for 14 years and this month was told there are new chemos for me to go on, that we’ve been through them all, and you won’t share the name of this drug that has given you so much hope.
“Who knows, I may have already had the drug you’re on but I might not have either and it could be something that gives me hope. Why keep that a secret? That just doesn’t make sense to me.”
“I wanted to ask about the drug,” another fan wrote.
A third fan chimed in, “Listen to the podcast, there is no miracle drug. Shannon simply revealed that one of her treatment plans is working well,” adding, “she called it a ‘miracle’ for her right now, in the moment.
Doherty ultimately commented in response to her “miracle” drug, writing, “Miracle means so many things. It’s working for now. Which is a miracle.”
Despite some of Doherty’s fans requesting to know what type of treatment she’s currently receiving, others remained wholeheartedly supportive on all the “Charmed” star has been opening up about.
“You’re providing every thing promised Shannen. We’re with you with every episode. These episodes, where you discuss cancer, are very informative. You even provide hope and inspiration. [Love] to you,” another fan commented.
Shannen Doherty’s Cancer Battle
Shannen Doherty first received a breast cancer diagnosis in 2015 after she discovered a lump in her breast. For treatments the first time around, she underwent hormone therapy, a single mastectomy (the removal of all breast tissue from one breast), chemotherapy and radiation.
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Then in 2017, Doherty was deemed to be in remission, however, the cancer returned just two years later in 2019 as metastatic, or stage four, breast cancer.
There is technically no cure for metastatic breast cancer, but that doesn’t mean people can’t live good, long lives with this stage of disease, thanks to hormone therapy, chemotherapy, targeted drugs and immunotherapy, as well as a combination of treatments.
Doherty took to Instagram earlier this year to recap how her cancer fight is going. She underwent her first round of radiation to her head on Jan. 12, 2023, followed by brain surgery to remove and biopsy a tumor on Jan. 16, 2023. The surgery she underwent is called a craniotomy.
Expert Resources On Metastatic Breast Cancer
- Have You Been Diagnosed With Late-Stage Breast Cancer? Know That You Have Treatment Options.
- Metastatic Breast Cancer: You Are Not a Statistic
- Understanding Gene Mutations in Your Metastatic Breast Cancer Diagnosis Is Crucial to Your Treatment
- Advances in Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatments Over the Last Year Offer New Hope for Those Fighting
- PARP Inhibitors Provide New Promise for Certain Metastatic Breast Cancers
Several neurosurgeons tell SurvivorNet that the procedure can allow patients with cancer in their brain to live longer, more vibrant lives, and this appears to be the case with Doherty who continuously has the energy to produce new podcast episodes and spend time with her loves ones, something she often takes to Instagram to share.
Understanding Stage 4 (Metastatic) Breast Cancer
Stage 4, or metastatic breast cancer, means that the cancer has spread to distant areas of the body. Even though there is currently no cure for metastatic breast cancer, doctors have many options to treat this stage advanced stage of breast cancer. Shannen Doherty is a perfect example as to how people can thrive despite battling the disease.
Hormone therapy, chemotherapy and targeted drugs are all options to talk to her doctor about, depending on your individual needs. Sometimes surgery and/or radiation is considered as part of the treatment, but mainly it is important to focus on improving your quality of life.
Treating Metastatic Breast Cancer
The treatment plan for metastatic breast cancer patients depends on the specific needs of the woman, whether they need an aggressive chemotherapy or depending on the doctor’s assessment, they may benefit from another medication.
For hormone receptive positive cancer breast cancer patients, doctors try to see how long they can keep patients on oral therapies. Very often, newly diagnosed metastatic hormone receptive-positive breast cancers (where cells have either estrogen (ER) or progesterone (PR) receptors or both) respond best with different hormonal medications, and sometimes for many many years.
Dr. Erica Mayer, a medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, says clinical trials have shown that hormone medicines are more effective when paired with targeted therapies. At some point, chemotherapy will be introduced. And according to Dr. Mayer, it’s delivered at a dose and schedule that’s as well-tolerated as possible.
“We are so lucky in breast cancer that we have so many effective and well-tolerated treatments,” Dr. Mayer tells SurvivorNet. I’m so gratified to see that patients are doing better and living longer today with metastatic breast cancer than they have ever done before.”
Bottom line, there are more and more options becoming available for patients to manage symptoms of advanced stage disease, and it’s best to talk about specific treatment plans and what is best for you with your own doctor.
Sharing Your Cancer News
For many people, revealing the news of their diagnosis is a way of coping, and receiving needed support for a cancer journey. However, it’s certainly a highly personal decision that should be undertaken on an individual basis.
Some people may choose to keep their diagnosis or treatment plan to themselves or close loved ones, and that’s equally respectable. It appears Shannen Doherty feels this way in regard to her “miracle” cancer infusion treatments which seems to be going well. Perhaps she doesn’t want to share the exact drug she’s taking as it’s working for her personal case and it may not be for everyone. It’s always important to speak with your doctor or oncologist on the best treatments for you.
Some people might find the process of sharing the news to feel like a burden and opt for something a little more separated from telling people face to face, like sharing the news on a blog.
Deciding When and Who to Tell About My Diagnosis Became a Burden
Health is a deeply private matter, and it’s completely up to you, and you alone, to determine who has the right and privilege to know about your diagnosis.
For example, veteran NPR correspondent Ina Jaffe underscored this point in an essay she wrote a few years back.
“By the way, I have no issue with people who want to keep their cancer diagnosis a secret to the end. If you have the misfortune to have cancer, you get to have it any way you want,” wrote the NPR host.
Jaffe opened up about her decision that keeping her cancer diagnosis a secret “served me well.” Doing so meant that she “didn’t have to explain myself to friends and strangers while I was still in the hysterical stage,” she wrote.
Detailing the mental and emotional toll of her diagnosis, Jaffe says she stopped sleeping and eating, and she cried a lot. “I was grieving for my own life,” she says.
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The Importance of Support During a Cancer Battle
It’s no secret that fighting cancer can be overwhelming, so having physical and emotional support from friends, family, and community during your battle is huge. Thankfully, it seems that Shannen Doherty has been able to live her life to the fullest with supportive loved ones by her side. It also appears that her influence on her fans is so incredibly powerful that those keeping up with her cancer journey are very curious as to what treatment is allowing Doherty to live her life so fully.
Licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Marianna Strongin says having people by your side during this “arduous chapter” of your life can be very beneficial.
“Studies have found consistently that loneliness is a significant risk factor for physical and mental illnesses and the trajectory of recovery,” she wrote in a column for SurvivorNet. “Therefore, it will be important that you surround yourself with individuals who care and support you throughout your treatment.”
That being said, it’s very important to know your limits on what you can handle during treatment.
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“Going through treatment is a very vulnerable and emotionally exhausting experience,” she wrote. “Noticing what you have strength for and what is feeling like too much, [is] extremely important to pay attention to as you navigate treatment.”
In a previous chat with SurvivorNet, psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik added that some cancer warriors may need to look beyond their existing relationships to find the support they need.
“Some people don’t need to go outside of their family and friends circle. They feel like they have enough support there,” Dr. Plutchik said. “But for people who feel like they need a little bit more, it is important to reach out to a mental health professional.”
Seeking Support: Dr. Plutchik shares the first 3 things to do after a cancer diagnosis
Dr. Plutchik saod it’s best to find a mental health professional with experience aiding people undergoing cancer treatment.
“Make sure that the mental health professional that you work it is reaching out with your consent to the rest of your team, to the oncologist, to the surgeon,” she said. “It can also be helpful to reach out to family, friends, and any other caretakers that may be involved in the person’s treatment.”
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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